Prime Minister Najla Bouden, on Friday, called on the international community to accelerate the establishment of a global partnership based on a participatory approach, under the auspices of the United Nations, to protect the seas and oceans. She was speaking at the opening of the «One Ocean Summit,» held in Brest, France.

She considered that «international awareness of the need to protect our seas should encourage us to join multi-stakeholder partnerships at national, regional and international levels, to ensure the vital interests of all countries.»

She also stressed “the importance of this summit as a platform to exchange and discuss the maritime challenges facing the world, with the aim of reaching effective solutions in a concerted manner.»

«The sea has always been an integral part of Tunisia’s heritage, an essential engine of the national economy and a source of income for a large number of Tunisians.

«Tunisia, like the rest of the countries on the southern shore of the Mediterranean, is facing enormous environmental pressures,» she added, saying the country is among the coastal countries most affected by climate change and the deterioration of biodiversity.

The PM considered that national efforts are not sufficient to make the sea a sustainable solution for economic recovery due to the huge costs of investment and technological innovations required for this purpose. «The achievement of this objective must take into account the existing gaps between countries and the challenges facing developing countries. These challenges have been accentuated by the unprecedented health, social, economic and financial pressures caused by the coronavirus pandemic.»

Bouden was welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron as she visits Brest, France, on Friday, to attend the “One Ocean Summit”. She is accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad Othman Jerandi.

Source: TAP News Agency